He was educated privately and articled to his father in 1875, but later attended the Royal Academy Schools.
He was in partnership with M. P. Manning from 1881 to 1884 and subsequently with E. J. Milner Allen, specializing in public buildings.
[1] He was an active member of the Royal Institute of British Architects, rising to be its President, and of a number of architectural associations in other countries.
[2][3] He never married, and died at home in West Hill, Highgate, Middlesex, on 30 March 1933.
John William Simpson's entry at www.scottisharchitects.org.uk Archived 27 September 2012 at the Wayback Machine